Not-so-Pleased to Meet You

Writers: AL, Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 26th September 2010

Characters: Parale, Ioven, Briata
Description: Parale arrives at River Bluff and meets Briata.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 20 of Turn 5

Briata

She'd seen the Weyr looming in the distance as they approached. She
didn't know how long they were going to stop to replenish supplies and
take on new passengers and unload some. Parale thought it might be
good to introduce Briata to Ioven, though, if she could. When they
arrived, she scuttled around, wondering if it would be okay to go find her by herself or if she should ask Ioven to go with her. Then, what would they
do with the girls? Indecisive, she stood there, looking into the distance.

"Parale?" Ioven asked, touching her shoulder. He had tried to get her
attention, but she hadn't seemed to notice. "We need to inquire at the
Harbor Master where we can stay until our ship is ready to leave.
Syren, baby, don't get so close to the edge. Venrys, didn't I say to
watch her? Go with the bags."

The girls did as he asked, but were soon bouncing with glee as two
dragons could be seen flying not far overhead. "Daddy, Daddy, look!"
they called to him.

"Yes, girls, they're very pretty, just stay there." He knew the Weyr
was an exciting and exotic place to visit, and it certainly seemed to be
having an effect on his future bride, but he wanted to get them all
settled before he let them loose to enjoy the experience.

"I was hoping maybe to find my friend..but we can figure out where
we're going first." She saw the logic in that and knew the girls needed
someplace to be.

She must have known they had arrived after all for there was Briata
in the distance, hurrying toward Parale and her betrothed. She smiled a
little as she approached, but the light didn't reach her eyes. Still,
she held her arms open as she drew closer to Parale, hoping for an
embrace. "It is good to see you again." She murmured, just loud enough
for them to hear.

Parale did hug her, but she noticed the sadness. She didn't want to
mention it in front of Ioven. That would be crass. "You too.." She
stepped back and looked. "Oh well..Briata, this is Ioven, who I wrote
you about and these are the girls-Syren and Venrys. Girls, say hello."

They both turned slightly and waved and mumbled their hellos, but their
attention was fixed on the sky and the beautiful dragons popping in and
out.

The smith, however, blinked at the stranger a couple times, sure he had
not heard the name right. Parale had never actually said her name
before, and admittedly he had never asked, but surely it couldn't be the
one he thought he had heard. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch the
name..."

"Briata." The young woman inclined her head politely to the smith, her
hands coming together, fingers lacing before they settled down before
her. "My name is Briata. It is a pleasure to meet you, finally."

"Briata formerly of Garnet Valley Hold?" he asked, trying to make the
question sound more curious than accusing. It couldn't be _that_
Briata, could it? But just how many girls with that name did River
Bluff harbor?

"Yes." The answer was soft, but there was no hesitation in it. Briata
eyed the man who stood before her, her expression blank and unassuming.
"I am she."

"Aye that's where we met. How else, since I'd never been anywhere."
Parale's tone betrayed a bit of her protectiveness of Briata and would
have warned Ioven had he picked up on it.

Well, that would explain why Parale had conveniently failed to mention
her friend's name. He of course knew of Briata. Who in the South
hadn't heard of the Lady Holder who left her husband and abandoned her
Hold just to run off to the Weyr? Unwed daughters had done that, for
sure, but _Lady Holders_... It had been quite the scandal. And _this_
was the friend Parale would be bringing to their wedding? They would
certainly have to have a serious discussion later. It was not too late
for either one to change their mind.

But this was not the place, and he had two little girls to think of.
"Well met," he mumbled with a quick nod. "If you will excuse me, I need
to speak with the Harbor Master and get my daughters settled."

Parale stood there, keeping an eye on the girls. "So what do you think?"
she carefully asked Briata.

Briata watched Ioven until he was out of sight. He had been...calm, but
she had seen his eyes and what they held. She knew he didn't approve.
But it was a smile that Briata turned to her friend. "He seems nice."
She stated after a moment. She stepped forward to slip her arm through
Parale's. "Are you...going to be happy with him?"

"I think so. He's a decent sort and not bad to look at. And if anything,
he lets me yell back at him, so that's a good start." She giggled, thinking
about what Apeline had said. "How are _you_?" The look she gave was pointed
and it was clear that Briata didn't have to talk about it if she didn't
want to.

"Surviving." The smile Briata gave Parale was nothing more than a ghost, and no light reached her eyes, not the tiniest hint of a sparkle. "The
dragons help. But...it's so hard..." Her face scrunched up, marring her
beautiful features for a moment. But then Briata gained control over herself. She mustn't break down, not in public. "So just two children?"

"Aye, two girls. They're young yet but Venrys will enter her adolescent
turns soon." Parale smiled when talking about them. "They're very good
girls, smart."

"They're very pretty girls." It was a relief to get off the subject
that brought so much pain to her heart. Briata's bright gaze danced about, searching for the girls in question. "How old are they?

"Venrys is about to turn 9 and Syren is just five." Dutifully waiting
with everything as they had been ordered while Ioven was making arrangements, the girls were discussing something amongst themselves while watching the dragons and people.

Briata watched the children, a wistful expression on her face. Her eyes
stung, but she managed to keep control of herself. "Would they, perchance, like to meet a dragon, you think?"

"Oh Faranth, would they ever. Ever since they found out we were coming
to the Weyr.." Parale shook her head, remembering all of the yammering
about dragons this and dragons that.

"Then why don't we introduce them to one?" Briata suggested, her tiny
smile returning. "It wouldn't be a good trip to a Weyr without meeting a
dragon."

"We can go as soon as Ioven comes back and we get our things put up.
It'll be time for dinner then anyway. How's that sound?" Parale looked
pointedly at the girls to see if they had been listening.

"That sounds lovely." Briata agreed readily. Her eyes turned back to
the girls, studying them with a strange intensity, her face purposefully
schooled into an unreadable expression. "Very lovely."

Last updated on the October 1st 2010

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Not-so-Pleased to Meet You